The news came fast and furious Monday night. First the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly made a huge trade to acquire former All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, and then they reportedly set their sights on Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic.
One of the bright spots for Sacramento over the last three seasons, Bogdanovic was a fan favorite. Now, he’s set to become a member of a deep Bucks team that is primed to compete for a championship.
Sacramento reportedly picked up a promising young guard in Donte DiVincenzo in the transaction, and the Kings also added a few other pieces to the overall puzzle.
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Here is a breakdown of the deal:
What the Kings received: Donte DiVincenzo, D.J. Wilson and Ersan Ilyasova
DiVincenzo is the centerpiece of this deal for Sacramento. He’s four years younger than Bogdanovic and still developing, but there is a lot to like. The former Villanova star is a strong defender and a very good athlete. He needs to tighten up his 3-point shot (31.8 percent in his NBA career) and work on his consistency, but he has the potential to be the best player in this trade in a year or two.
Wilson is a Sacramento native who hasn't really gotten a chance to thrive in the pros. Taken with the 17th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, he’s a strong athlete and has potential as a two-way player. Maybe a fresh start in his hometown will help turn his career around.
NBA
Ilyasova is a solid veteran, but his best playing days are behind him. The Kings likely will shop the 33-year-old forward immediately and they could potentially waive his non-guaranteed $7 million salary.
While we don’t know the final numbers Bogdanovic received in his sign-and-trade, the Kings passed on taking on another huge contract. They got younger and more athletic at shooting guard, and saving themselves from paying Bogdanovic an estimated $14-to-18 million per season over the next four seasons. They could have improved their grade by landing a draft pick, but the Bucks shipped most of their assets to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Holiday deal.
Grade: C+/B- (depending on resolution of Ilyasova’s contract)
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What the Bucks received: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin James
Bogdanovic is an absolute gem. The Serbian-born shooting guard improved his scoring averages in each of his three years with the Kings and has a knack for coming up big with the game on the line.
The Kings' most versatile player during that time, Bogdanovic played the one, two and three in Sacramento and will find a similar role with the title-contending Bucks. Whether he’s coming off the bench as a super-sub or starting in a lineup with Holiday, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, Bogdanovic is a player driven to. He also has high character and is great off the court as well.
James is a throw-in to make salaries work. Selected with the 40th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, he’s a player the previous Kings regime loved. He has springs in his legs and he’s a bundle of energy both on and off the court, but his path to playing time just got a lot more difficult.
Milwaukee is playing for a ring. and Bogdanovic is the type of player that can help put the Bucks over the top.
Grade: B+